Sympathy for the Devil S5
by Bad Day at Black Rock
Summary: After the unexpected survival of Lucifer's return, they seek out answers to unanswerable questions.
1. Chapter 1

Dislaimer: These fics are based on real episodes from Supernatural. The characters and plots belong to the creator and writers for the show. If you want background on the OCs you can read the previous episodes

_Authors note: check out my fanfic reference (URL on my profile page) for Season 5 promo pics!_

Sympathy for the Devil

The doors were jammed and there were no other exits; they were stuck in the room with Lucifer coming whether they liked it or not. The ringing was excruciating. Like when Castiel would try to speak to Dean in his true voice, the noise filled their heads until they thought they couldn't take it anymore. Dominic was unaffected, in fact, he looked as though he were speaking back. Still kneeled in front of the doorway on the floor, his head was now bent to focus in on what was being said.

Suddenly the light got brighter in the room and Kayla's breath caught in her throat. They were about to be shown the true form of an angel, and that meant they were about to be toast. All they could do is squeeze their eyes shut and hope that it was quick.

The ringing stopped. The only sounds that were heard was the soft hum of a large engine and…cartoons? They opened their eyes. They were on a plane.

"And we're just passing over Hillchester, then…" The pilot was making announcements.

"Hillchester, weren't we just there?" Dean looked around, completely confused.

"So if you want to stretch your legs," the pilot continued. "Now would be a good time _holy crap!_"

A bright light came in through all the windows and plane began to rock. They grabbed the oxygen masks as they came down and braced for a bad landing. This was not doing anything for Dean's fear of flying.

But the plane had landed safely. Though they were still confused, they seemed to be okay. Kayla rented a car to get as far away from there as possible; Dean surprisingly didn't want to go for the Impala yet. Every radio station had different opinions on what had caused the light, the explosion of power. After scanning through a few times Dean made her turn it off. The lengthened silence put them all in a different place.

Dean was terrified. This was beyond description bad. Lucifer had just been released and there was no telling how long it would be before hell would follow. Other hunters were going to ask questions that they would most likely find answers to, and then they'd come looking for them. They'd look for the ones who started the apocalypse.

Kayla's thoughts were on the ones left behind. What had happened to Cas and Chuck, the ones who stayed to face the archangel? Surely Chuck would be okay, the archangel was his protector after all. But Cas, Cas was practically a fugitive now. Then there was Dominic, who'd not been sent to the plane with them. Would Lucifer know he'd tried to help kill him, to stop him from coming to Earth? If he did know, what kind of punishment would the devil inflict on his own son?

Sam was drowning in guilt. He'd believed in Ruby so much that he'd abandoned his family when they were trying to help him and in turn, started the apocalypse. He just couldn't get it out of his head; Dean was right, he'd always been right.

"Dean, look…"

"Don't say anything. It's okay. We just gotta keep our heads down and hash this thing out alright?"

"Yeah okay." He'd try again later, when spirits were higher.

"First things first, how'd we end up on soul plane?"

"Could have been the angels, you know? Beaming us out of harm's way."

"Guess it doesn't matter, why we're okay is the least of our worries. We need to find Cas."

"Maybe he was the one who beamed us out." Kayla suggested.

Dean caught the concern in her voice and agreed with her small hope. "Yeah, maybe."

Chuck's place looked like a disaster area and that was putting it mildly. Furniture was knocked over, papers flown around and the ground was covered in broken glass from the windows and doors. It would have shown similar damage if a hurricane had come through. Unfortunately this hurricane was an archangel and mixed with the wreckage was blood, lots of it.

As they got to the living room Sam was suddenly hit over the head with a plunger.

"Geez!" He stumbled back, holding his head. "Ow!"

"Sam!" Chuck looked surprised to see them.

"Yeah!"

"Hey Chuck." Dean nodded to him.

His excitement showed through. "So, you're okay!"

"Well, my head hurts." Sam pointed out.

"No I mean, in my last vision you were full on Vader! Your body temperature was one-fifty, your heart rate was two hundred, your eyes were black!"

Dean caught his look. "Your eyes went black?"

"I didn't know."

"Where's Cas?"

Kayla glanced up, pulling her eyes from the evidence of massacre. It certainly wasn't pointing in the right direction.

"He's dead, or gone. The archangel smoked the crap out of him." He sighed. "I'm sorry."

Dean looked to Kayla for her reaction but she was back to looking at the mess on the floor. She didn't respond.

"Are you sure? I mean he didn't just vanish into the light or something?"

"Oh no." Chuck answered with assurance. "He like, exploded. Like a water balloon of…"

"Stop." Kayla shot at him, a little harsher than intended. She reeled it in. "We get it."

Sam caught sight of something sticking to his hair. "You got something…"

"Huh?" Chuck traced his fingers through his hair. "Oh God…" He held out a bloody tooth. "Is that a molar? I have a molar in my hair." He whimpered. "This has been a really stressful day."

"Cas you stupid bastard." Dean muttered.

"Stupid?" Sam turned around. "He was trying to help us."

"Yeah exactly."

"So what now?"

"I don't know." He shot back. Damn Cas.

"Oh no." Chuck's expression suddenly turned serious again, fearful. "I can feel them."

"Thought we would find you here." Zachariah stood in front of two other angels and kicked some of the rubble with his foot. "Playtime's over Dean. Time to come with us."

Dean held his hand up as he stepped forward. "You just keep your distance asshat."

"You're upset."

"Yeah, a little. You sons of bitches jump started judgment day."

"We _let_ it happen, we didn't start anything. Right Sammy?" He winked at him. "You had a chance to stop your brother and you couldn't. So let's not quivel over who started what and just say it's all our faults, and move on 'cause like it or not, it's apocalypse now. We're back on the same team again." He seemed so damn happy.

"Is that so?"

"You want to kill the devil, we want you to kill the devil, it's synergy."

"And I'm just supposed to trust you? Cram it with walnuts ugly."

"This isn't a game son. Lucifer is powerful in ways that defy description. We need to strike now, hard and fast. Before he finds his vessel."

"His vessel?" Sam asked. "Lucifer needs a meat suit?"

"He is an angel." He chuckled and glanced to the other two. "Thems' the rules. When he sets down we're talking four horses, red oceans, the greatest hits. You can stop him Dean, but you need our help." He tilted his head and looked to Kayla, surprised. "Sweetheart, you're gonna need some bleach to clean out those violent thoughts."

She grimaced and didn't respond.

"You listen to me, you two faced douche. After what you did, I don't want jack squat from you!"

"You listen to me boy! You think you can rebel against us? As Lucifer did?" He glanced down at his hand. "You're bleeding."

"Oh yeah, a little insurance policy in case you dicks showed up." He pulled the pocket door open, revealing the bloody symbols on the wood.

"No!"

Dean slammed his hand into the center of the symbols and squeezed his eyes shut against the light signaling their departure. He looked around with satisfaction. "Something my friend Cas taught me you son of a bitch."

"This sucks ass." Chuck stated. "Being a prophet officially blows."


	2. Chapter 2

The silence in the car was short lived, again. She remembered thinking how shocked Dean would have been, that Cas talked so much during the car ride. He was so curious about everything, either that or he was bored out of his mind.

"Can I ask you something, again?"

Kayla smiled from the driver's seat. "Ask away."

Castiel paused, his thoughts already gathered, but he was trying to come up with the right words. "I think what we've been taught as love is closer to the human definition of respect."

"That's not a question."

He continued. "We aren't supposed to show preference of one angel to another. More than that, we have no desire to. What is it that makes you chose a certain few, over everyone else on the planet? What is the nature of love and desire?"

"What is the nature of love and desire?" She was quiet a moment, kind of at a loss. "Cas you're asking me questions that we as a human race haven't even figured out yet. I mean, asking what makes a person fall in love, people have been trying to figure that out forever."

"It seems better, the love between humans when they chose it."

"What makes you say that?" It seemed to her nothing about being human was better.

"God loves his creations equally, such as the angels, he loves us all with no varying degree. It seems like…a collection. On a personal standpoint, it would be like saying God loves me as much as he loves a thousand other things. As a just and fair God should. But to love as a human does, it makes the object of love more important, it singles out the object of desire and holds it above the rest."

What he was saying made sense, but didn't necessarily sound like a good thing. "Wouldn't that be more of a selfish weakness? I mean, that's what makes the angels more perfect right? They're selfless. They don't need to be more important than anything else."

"Need and want are two separate things. You don't need to be the most important person in Dean's life to survive, but that doesn't make it any less desirable."

"I guess you have a point." She drummed on the steering wheel as they passed another highway marker. Two more hours to go. "Being an angel doesn't count you out though you know, you don't get off that easily."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I try not to speak for Dean when he's not around, but you're more important to us than a lot of people, you're practically family."

"Family." He repeated.

"Yeah I mean, I'd stick my neck out for you just the same as you've done for me." He smiled in response, sort of an amused smile. "You're picturing me trying to fight something that's actually a threat to you aren't you?"

Cas laughed quietly. "No."

"You just lied! Isn't that against your…_everything_ or something?"

"It wasn't to be deceitful. There truly isn't that much out there that's a threat to me, which you know. The offer to protect me is…endearing."

"I'd try."

"I believe you would." He smiled _at_ her then, an appreciative smile rather than amused.

"_Kayla."_

She jerked out of her thoughts and looked at Dean, he seemed to have been watching her for awhile. "What? Are we leaving?" Sam wasn't even back yet.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, sorry, just…off in my own world I guess."

"I'm sorry, about Cas. I know you guys were close."

"I can't," she corrected herself. "I don't want to talk about it right now." The whole thing made her nauseous; they'd guilted Cas into helping them and now he was dead because of it. They were responsible.

Sam came in then, saving her from the conversation. "Hey, here." He tossed them each a bag. "Hex bags, no way the angels will find us with those. Demons either for that matter."

"Where'd you get it?"

"I made it."

"How?"

Sam paused, realizing he should have lied. _No._ He was done lying. "I learned it from Ruby."

Can't change the past now. "Speaking of, how are you doing? You jonesing for another hit of bitch blood or what?"

"To tell you the truth, I'm fine. No shakes, no fever, it's like whoever put me on that plane cleaned me right up."

"Supernatural methadone." Dean sounded skeptical.

"Yeah, I guess." Sam took the opportunity to try to reconcile again, while Dean was in a concerned mood. "Dean…"

"Sam." He cut him off and turned back to his bag. "It's okay, you don't have to say anything."

Apparently the concerned mood didn't apply to him. "That's good…'cause I mean, what could I say? I'm sorry, I screwed up? It doesn't really do it justice you know? Look, there's nothing I can do or say that will ever make this right."

"Then why do you keep bringing it up?!" Dean snapped at him, then stopped. He was trying not to be dad. "All I'm saying, is why do we need to put this under a microscope? We made a mess, we clean it up. That's it. So say this is like any other hunt. What do we do first?"

"We…figure out where the thing is."

"Alright. So we just gotta find…the devil." He looked between them, each torn with their inner conflicts. "Which we can't do on an empty stomach right?" He tried to smile as he headed for the door. "Be back in a few."

"Dean…" The door was shut before she could ask to go with him. She sighed quietly, knowing what he wanted. He wanted her to let Sam get this out of his system, he wanted her to be the open ear. She just wasn't much in the mood.

"Don't try so hard with him, you know how he is." She got straight to the point.

"I know, I just don't think he knows how sorry I am."

"Would you still be sorry if you had been right?"

He paused. "What?"

"If you were right. If Ruby really was girl scout of the year and you guys stopped the apocalypse. Would you still be sorry?"

"If I had stopped it, instead of starting it, what would I have to be sorry for?"

Her mind worked faster than her mouth. _Oh I don't know, the lies, the secrets, beating him to a pulp and walking out on him? How about just being a freaking dick?_

"Hey." He vocally interrupted her. "You think that's the stuff he's mad about?"

"Um, yeah. You lost his trust Sam. You lost mine."

Sam sighed quietly and sat down. If he _had_ stopped the apocalypse, all those things wouldn't have mattered. They would have understood why he had to keep secrets and lie to them, they would _appreciate_ it. "What can I do?"

"Honestly?" She shrugged and laid back on her bed. "I don't know, that's between you and Dean. Closest I can guess is nothing but time is going to help you."

"And what about you?"

"When you understand it, why I'm pissed," she looked at him. "I'll forgive you."


	3. Chapter 3

The following day was quiet for the first time in a long time. Sam and Kayla were researching via the internet, while Dean was scanning news channels to observe the damage. Tornados, flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes, all over the world disasters were happening. He finally turned it off when there was a knock at the door.

Sam got up to get it, if someone had found out this soon they were probably after him anyway. There was a woman standing in the hall, she nearly hyperventilated when she saw him. "Um, you okay lady?"

"Sam, is that really you?" She reached out and touched his chest. "And you're so firm!"

What, the hell. "Do I know you?"

"No." She put her hand back down. "But I know you, you're Sam Winchester. And you're…" she looked in at Dean. "Not what I pictured." Her smile returned when she looked at Sam and welcomed herself in. "I'm Becky. I've read all about you, I've even written a few…anyway." She giggled nervously and looked at Kayla. "Oh my God how lucky are _you_? Right." She straightened up, suddenly serious. "Mr. Edlund told me where you were."

"Chuck?" Dean stood up.

"He's got a message but he's being watched. _Angels._" She sounded excited again. "Nice change up to the mythology by the way. The demon stuff was getting kind of old."

"Right, what's the message?" Sam encouraged.

"He had a vision." Becky held up her hands like she was the one having it. "The Michael sword is on Earth, the angels lost it."

"The Michael sword?" Dean questioned, this lady was cracked out.

Sam seemed immediately knowledgeable to the subject. "Becky does he know where it is?"

"In a castle, on a hill made of forty two dogs."

Kayla stifled a laugh.

"Forty two dogs." Dean repeated.

Now Sam was skeptical. "Are you sure you got that right?"

"It doesn't make sense, I know. But that's what he said. I memorized every word, for you." She went back to touching his chest, _rubbing_ now.

"Um, Becky? Could you stop touching me?"

"No."

Kayla laughed. "She must be a Sam girl."

"Oh totally. You have _got_ to tell me about…"

"Listen, Becky." Dean stopped her. "We gotta figure out what this message is supposed to mean right now huh? Thanks for the delivery, but you gotta go."

"No thank _you._" She winked at Sam and left.

"Wow." Kayla smiled. "Look there Sam, not everyone is mad at you."

He shot her a look.

"Not funny, right."

Dean smirked a little and went back to the couch. "A hill of forty two dogs. What the hell do you think that is?"

Later in the afternoon Bobby showed up with his special delivery, the Impala. He gave them each a hug; last time they spoke they were headed into some serious shit.

"You sure no one followed you?" Dean asked.

"Followed me? You mean like demons, angels, or Sam's new super fan?"

"Oh, you heard."

"I heard alright." He grimaced. "So, sword of Michael."

"You think we're talking about the actual sword of the actual angel Michael?"

"You better fricken hope so." He took out the book and laid it on the table.

Michael was supposed to be heaven's most fierce archangel. When Lucifer was banished it was Michael who sent him on his final trip downstairs, and he had used his sword to do it. The general idea of Chuck's vision would be that if they could find this sword, they could use it to defeat Lucifer. As they split up to start researching, Sam couldn't get the whole thing out of his mind.

"Kid, you alright?" Bobby asked him.

"No, actually." He grimaced to keep himself level. "Bobby this is all my fault."

"Sam." Dean tried to stop him.

"Lilith didn't break the final seal, Lilith _was_ the final seal."

Kayla didn't see a point to this. "Sam, leave it alone. You know what will happen if…"

"No, I saw how far the lying got me and this is it. I killed Lilith, and set Lucifer free."

Bobby leaned forward. "You what?"

"You guys warned me about Ruby and the demon blood but I didn't listen. I brought this on."

Dean and Kayla both looked for Bobby's reaction.

"You're damn right you didn't listen." He walked up to him. "You were reckless, and selfish, and arrogant."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah? You're sorry you started Armageddon? This sort of thing don't get forgiven boy. If by some miracle we pull this off, I want you to lose my number. You understand me?"

He was quiet for a minute, clearly trying not to tear up. "There's um, there's an old church nearby. I'll go read some of the lore books there."

"Yeah. You do that."

"Wait wait wait." Kayla stepped up. "Bobby what the hell happened to family is supposed to make you miserable and he's your brother and all _that_ crap you were dishing out when he took off?"

"You think that's family? That's what families do? End the world for you and everyone else?"

"Kayla." Dean shook his head for her to stop.

"I don't think families just give up on each other." She shot at Bobby, staring him down. "I don't think they just cut you out when you're at your lowest."

"No, Kayla he's right." Sam grimaced. "I'll um, I'll be at the church." He turned and left.

"Sam."

"Kayla let him go."

"Dean this isn't right, he can't say…"

"Let it go." He answered sternly. He couldn't argue with Bobby, not when he agreed with him.

She bit her lip. She was angry with Sam, _livid_ even and he had made the biggest mistake of his life. She wouldn't even lie and say she trusted him, but she wasn't going to turn her back on him either. God she hated this, she couldn't even go after him. How could she rationalize taking his side over Dean's after everything that had happened? With a hard swallow she snatched a book from the table and went to the couch. Dean glanced to Bobby and sat back down before opening one of the books.


	4. Chapter 4

Hours passed with no word from Sam and they stayed mostly in silence, save for a few times one of them would share some information from the text that may be useful. No one even looked at each other, no one wanted to be there anymore.

"I can't believe your daddy was right." Bobby finally said.

"About what?" Dean turned the page of the book.

"About your brother." Dean raised his eyes to meet his. "What John said, either save Sam, or kill him. Maybe…"

"Maybe what?" He was kind of surprised this conversation was even happening.

"Maybe we shouldn't have tried so hard to save him."

"Bobby." He glanced back at his book; he didn't want to hear this.

Kayla bit down on her lip again, tasting blood before she stopped. She'd tear him a new one if she had to.

"He ended the world Dean, and we weren't strong enough to stop him. I'm just saying, your dad was right."

Despite the conflicting theories in his head, he suddenly had a thought. "Dad." He went to his bag and pulled out a small plastic bag. "Gotta be in here somewhere…"

"What the heck are you doing?"

"I don't believe it." He went back to Bobby with a grin.

"What is it?"

"It's a card, from my dad's lock up in upstate New York. Read it."

Bobby held the business card and read it out loud. "Castle Storage, 42 Rover Hill."

"Castle on a hill of forty two dogs." He stated.

Kayla was dumbfounded. "Your dad had the Michael sword?"

"He might have, I mean hell, it's not the only thing on the long list of shit he probably should have mentioned."

"Good point. How did you even think of that?"

He smirked. "I am just that good baby."

"Okay." Bobby nodded. "Good enough for me." He suddenly reared back and punched Dean in the face.

The blow was _too_ hard, it had too much effect on Dean. Kayla jumped back against the wall and started rapidly reciting the exorcism ritual, he blocked her from getting to the knife.

"Right." He laughed as his eyes turned black. "Let me just stand still while you finish. You really need a devil's trap for that sort of thing." He grabbed her and threw her across the room, she hit her head on the table and was knocked unconscious. Dean went for him again and the thing grabbed him by the throat. As he held him against the wall, two other demons came in through the door.

The woman smirked. "I always did know you were a big dumb slow pain in the ass Dean, but I never dreamt you were so VIP." She grabbed Ruby's knife from the dresser. "I mean, you're gonna ice the devil? You? If I'd known that I would have ripped your pretty face off ages ago."

"Ruby." He guessed and caught a glance at Kayla; she was still breathing.

"Try again, go backward."

"Meg."

She smiled. "Hi. These are the days of miracle and wonder Dean. Our father's among us, you know we're all dreamy again for the first time since we were human. It's heaven on Earth, or hell. We really owe your brother a fruit basket."

"My God you really like the sound of your own voice."

"But you on the other hand, you're the only bump on the road so every demon, every single one is gunning for a piece of you."

"Get in line." He spat out.

"Oh I'm in the front of the line baby, that's right." She leaned forward and kissed him.

He grimaced and smacked his lips, why did all these demons want to make out with him? "What is that, peanut butter?"

"You know your surrogate daddy's still awake. Screaming in there, and I want him to know how it feels slicing the life out of you."

Bobby held the knife to his throat.

"Bobby! No!"

He turned back to Meg.

"Now!"

He raised the blade and with a staggered effort, he stabbed himself in the gut. While the others were in shock Dean attacked and punched Meg in the face before getting knocked aside by the other demon.

Sam walked in and saw Kayla and Bobby on the floor. "No."

"Hiya Sammy, did you miss me? 'Cause I sure missed you."

"Meg."

He attacked her, but he was weak. Sam was having the same luck as Dean and they got their asses handed to them. Meg grabbed him up.

"Not so easy without your super special demon powers is it Sammy?"

Dean finally got his hands on the knife and stabbed the demon. When he went after Meg, that bitch fled the body in a hurry. Sam was already assessing Bobby and he went to Kayla, giving her a firmer shake than he should have but they couldn't waste any time.

"Kayla. Kayla sweetheart wake up."

She slowly shook her head.

"Hey. Wake up, you gotta be able to walk okay? Bobby's hurt bad."

Kayla opened her eyes and took a deep breath. "Is he gonna be okay?"

"We gotta get him to the hospital." He helped her get to her feet and he and Sam grabbed Bobby to take him to the car.


	5. Chapter 5

They dropped Bobby off at the hospital and normally would have stayed, but under the circumstances took off in a hurry. If the demons knew where the sword was they had to try to beat them to it. They couldn't keep losing their only tools of hope.

Kayla opted to take the back seat and Dean could still see the distress in her quiet expression. He glanced in the rearview mirror.

"Kayla."

She met his eyes in the mirror but didn't answer.

"Babe I need you to put your game face on, we'll probably have to fight off demons for this thing. It's not gonna be a walk in the park."

"Can do."

"I mean it, pull it together. I know you're upset but use it, don't let it be for nothing."

He couldn't even say it. _Don't let his death be for nothing. _"I'm fine Dean."

When they got to the storage building, it appeared that the demons _had_ beaten them to it, but something had been waiting for them. Three demons lay dead on the floor. Dean felt so much better when the silence was broken by Zachariah.

"I see you told the demons where the sword is."

"Oh thank God, the angels are here."

"And to think, they could have grabbed it anytime they wanted." He held his arm up and the door to the storage shed closed. "It was right in front of them."

It didn't take long to assess the situation and it wasn't a good one. Zachariah hadn't come alone, he brought back up. He had something planned.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"We may have planted that particular piece of prophesy inside Chuck's skull, but it happened to be true. We _did_ lose the Michael sword, we truly couldn't find it. Until now, you just hand delivered it to us."

Dean gave him a blank stare. "We don't have anything."

"It's you chucklehead." Zachariah stepped forward and looked at him, like he was seeing him in a new light. "You're the Michael sword." He almost laughed at the way Dean looked at him. "What, you thought _you_ could kill Lucifer? You big wad of insecurity and self loathing? No. You're just a human Dean, and not much of one."

"What do you mean I'm the sword?"

"You're Michael's weapon, or rather, his receptacle."

"I'm a vessel?"

"You're _the_ vessel. Michael's vessel."

"How? Why me?"

"Because you're chosen! It's a great honor Dean."

"Oh yeah, life as an angel condom. That's real fun." He remembered Jimmy's accounts. "I think I'll pass, thanks."

"Joking, always joking. Well. No more jokes." Zachariah held his hand up, like a child would make a gun. His aim started on Dean but moved to Sam, then he lowered his aim. "Bang."

The familiar sound of bone snapping echoed through the room and Sam hit the ground with a pained cry.

"You son of a bitch!" Dean growled at him.

"You keep mouthing off and I'll break more than his legs."

"Hey." Kayla moved to sit beside Sam. "Deep breaths, try not to move okay?" As if he needed a reminder of the procedures.

"I am completely and utterly _through_ screwing around. The war has begun, we don't have our general, that's bad. Now Michael is going to take his vessel and lead the final charge against the adversary. Do you understand me?"

"And how many humans die in the crossfire? Huh? A million? Five? Ten?"

"Probably more." He admitted. "You know how many die if Lucifer goes unchecked? All of them. He'll roast the planet alive."

He hesitated. "There's a reason you're telling me this instead of just nabbing me. You need my consent, Michael needs my say so to ride around in my skin."

"Unfortunately yes."

"There's gotta be another way."

"There is no other way. There _must_ be a battle, Michael _must_ defeat the serpent. It is written!"

"Yeah maybe." He'd heard that before. "But on the other hand, eat me. The answer is no.

Zachariah's face shifted, he was working something new now. "Okay, how about this? Your friend Bobby, we know he's gravely injured. Say yes and we'll heal him, say no and he'll never walk again."

Dean grimaced and looked back to Sam and Kayla, he didn't even want to think about the word coming out of his mouth. "No."

"Then how about we heal you? From…stage four stomach cancer."

After a moment Dean felt his insides jerk and he lowered himself to the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood. "No."

"Right, self sacrificing and all. Let's hit that special spot huh?" He waved his hand towards Kayla, who gasped suddenly and clutched her stomach. "Barren, but you're too cool for kids anyway right? Won't be much of an issue with that tumor in her brain." He paused to wave a hand in her direction again. "Terminal, in case you're wondering."

His heart wrenched because he wanted to give in, he wanted to say okay and have him put them back together. There just had to be another way. "Just kill us."

"Kill you?" He grabbed him by the face. "Oh no, I'm just getting started."

A flash of light caught everyone's attention and they turned in time to see Castiel jerking a blade out of the back of one of the angel's necks. Without hesitation he kicked the other one back as he came for him, then delivered a crushing blow as he came again. Cas again raised the blade and the other tried to grab for it, only to be quickly put in a hold with his arm bent unnaturally behind his back. Like the other, Castiel drove the blade into the back of his neck and he was filled with light as the life slipped out of him. He calmly walked back to Zachariah, who made his best to appear unphased.

"How are you…"

"Alive? That's a good question. How did they end up on that airplane? Another good question, as the angels didn't do it. I think we both know the answer."

"No, that's…impossible."

"Scares you, doesn't it? Well it should. Now put them back together and go. I won't ask twice."

Zachariah left and took the pain with him, they felt whole again.

"Cas." As much as she tried to shield him from emotional reactions, the overwhelming sense of relief was too much for her. He seemed to anticipate this and surprised them by not only accepting, but returning the embrace. "You're alive."

"It would appear so. You all need to be more careful."

"Yeah, I'm starting to get that." Dean answered. He appeared indifferent to her reaction; at least she didn't kiss him. "Your frat brothers are bigger dicks than I thought."

"I don't mean the angels. Lucifer is circling his vessel. Once he takes it, those hex bags won't be enough to protect you." Kayla was still next to him and he pressed his hand below her neck before doing the same with Sam and Dean.

An uncomfortable pain swept through them but was quickly gone. "What the hell was that?"

"The Enochian sigil. It'll hide you from every angel in creation, including Lucifer."

"What'd you do just brand us with it?" Dean rubbed his chest.

"No, I carved it into your ribs."

Sam watched him. "Cas, if you were really dead, how are you back?"

"That's a good question." He fished into his pocket and produced a familiar silver necklace. The small angel pendant reflected off the light as he held it out to Kayla. "I hope you have use for this again."

She smiled as she took it. "I always did."

Castiel disappeared without further explanation.

Dean smirked. "You feel better now?"

"You do too, so don't even say it like that."

He laughed a little but couldn't argue; he was relieved. Cas was okay after taking one for them, he Dean could release a little of the guilt.


	6. Chapter 6

The doctor stood with a grim expression while he delivered Bobby the news. "Mr. Singer, I'm not going to lie to you. It's unlikely that you will walk again."

"Unlikely to walk again? Why you snot nosed son of a bitch! Wait til' I get out of this bed! I'll use my leg to kick your fricken ass! Yeah, you better run!" He shook his head as the doctor made a quick exit. "You believe that yahoo?"

"Screw him, you'll be fine." Dean told him.

Sam tried to smile reassuringly but it came out a grimace. "So let me ask the million dollar question. What do we do now?"

"Well, we save as many as we can while we can I guess. It's bad, angels or demons, whoever wins we're boned."

"What if we win?" Dean wasn't leaving it up to scripture. "I'm serious, screw both of them. If the angels and demons want a war they can find their own planet. This one's ours and I say they get the hell off it. We take them all on. We kill the devil, hell we kill Michael if we have to but we do it our damn selves."

Bobby raised an eyebrow. "And how are we supposed to do all this, genius?"

"I got no idea." He shrugged. "What I do have, is a GED and a give 'em hell attitude and I'll figure it out." Meg could kiss his ass too.

Kayla grinned and patted his chest. "That's the spirit."

"You are nine kinds of crazy boy." Bobby added.

"It's been said. You stay on the mend, we'll see you in a bit."

As they walked out he caught their attention again. "Sam, I was awake." He waited for him to turn. "I know what I said back there. I just want you to know that, that was the demon talking. I ain't cutting you out boy. Not ever." He looked to Kayla. "So quit looking at me like I'm damn crazy!"

Sam breathed easier. "Thanks Bobby."

"You're welcome. I deserve a damn medal for this, but you're welcome."

Sam turned back towards the door to see Dean and Kayla talking in a hushed tone, Kayla looked uneasily towards him before heading down the hall.

"What'd I do now?"

"Nothing, let's go."

As they headed for the Impala, Sam was in higher hopes. Castiel was alive, the angels weren't in charge and not everyone hated his guts. Things were looking up.

"You know I was thinking, maybe we could go after the colt."

"What good would that do?"

"Maybe we could use it on Lucifer."

"Like that'll work."

"But you said…"

"I said a lot of crap for Bobby's benefit." He stopped to face him. "I'll fight, I'll fight to the last man but let's face it, we don't stand a snowball's chance and you know that. You of all people know that."

"Dean, is there something you want to say to me?"

He glanced to Kayla but didn't get encouragement in either direction. She didn't want him to shut Sam out, even after everything. He just couldn't agree with her this time. The last few years only gave her a glimpse of everything he and his brother had been through and there was no way she completely understood. Dean took a breath and let it all go. "I tried Sammy. I mean I really tried, but I just can't keep pretending that everything's alright. Because it's not, and it's never going to be. You chose a demon over your own brother, and look what happened."

"I would give anything, anything to take it all back."

"I know you would. And I know how sorry you are, I do but man…" he shook his head. "You were the one I depended on the most, and you let me down in ways that I can't even…" He stopped, how could he put this? "I'm just, I'm having a hard time forgiving and forgetting, you know?"

"What can I do?" He repeated his question, already knowing the answer.

"Honestly? Nothing. I just don't think that we can ever be what we were, you know? I just don't think I can trust you."

That speech definitely bought them separate rooms for the night and despite everything, Kayla was in high spirits. She climbed into bed with a smirk.

"You don't have to fake it for me." Dean turned the TV off.

"Fake it? Dean, we have thus far survived Lucifer's arrival. We made it through the first scene of the apocalypse, you don't think that's great?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Well don't sound too excited."

"Kayla, I don't think we're gonna make it through to the final act. We don't have the know-how or the resources."

"Damn it Dean." She huffed and got quiet a moment. "You just have to kill those little rays of hope don't you? So yeah, we probably don't stand a chance in this. So don't you think it's time to realize we don't have all that much time left?"

He sighed quietly and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I really don't want to think about it like that."

"You'll wish you had, if things go bad."

_When_ things go bad. "I know." He kissed her and the feeling was all too familiar. Like trying to savor the first and last kiss all at the same time, he was exhausted of living for the next disaster. "Kayla I can't lose you. I'm fucking sick of this and I can't go back and change any of it."

She smiled sympathetically. "It's not your responsibility to change it. We just have to deal with it as it comes along."

He wished someone else could deal with it, for once he wanted to be the ignorant bastard that was completely blindsided when the end knocked on his door.


End file.
